TN: Israel, end times prophecy, Jewish Christian relations to be discussed at conference

One local church is declaring it will stand with Israel, Jason Reynolds at the Shelbyville Times-Gazette reports.

Victory Baptist Church is holding a special conference on the Holy Land. The “Hope of Israel Prophecy Conference: Jewish Customs, Prophecy and the Nation of Israel” runs from Sunday through Tuesday. The church has planted Israeli flags alongside its property on North Main Street in advance of the conference.

The speaker, Dr. K. Daniel Fried (pronounced “Freed”) is the speaker. Fried is founder of The Hope of Israel Baptist Mission (HIBM).

Fried will speak during Victory Baptist’s Sunday school and worship hours Sunday at 10 and 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., said Jonathan Everhart, a church member helping organize the event. Fried also will speak at Victory Baptist at 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday.

“We’ve been inviting other churches,” Everhart said. “We’re expecting a good turnout.”

HIBM has a mission of advocating for Israel’s well-being, to educate the world about God’s covenant relationship with Israel and to “awaken the Jewish people to the redeeming power of God’s forgiveness through the shed blood of her Messiah,” according to the mission’s website, hopeofisrael.net.

Speaking about Israel and Jewish-Christian relationships is a natural for Fried, who was a Jew before he converted to Christianity. He grew up in New York, the nephew of one of America’s most famous rabbis, Shepherd Baum. Fried said that both of his parents had a long line of rabbis as ancestors, especially on his mother’s side. Twenty of his relatives were killed in the Holocaust.

Fried said he will speak on such topics as the end times as described in the Bible as well as Jewish customs such as the tabernacle and how those apply prophetically to Christians and the Messiah.

“We’re definitely living in the time of the Lord’s return,” Fried said. “The big key to unlocking prophecy is the nation of Israel. I’m preaching messages regarding the coming of the Lord and what that means to Bible believers and those who do not believe as of yet.”

Fried said he expects he will touch upon the subjects of ISIS and Iran, although he’s not sure how much time he will devote to the subject.

“They have definitely gotten everyone’s attention,” Fried said. Muslims “are looking for their messiah. People are wondering how that will play into the last days.”

Everhart said he has heard Fried speak at a previous event and was impressed.